29-01-2025
City of Shawnee takes steps to hire funeral director as efforts to repair crumbling mausoleum continue
SHAWNEE, Okla. (KFOR) — At their January meeting, the Shawnee City Commission voted to move forward with a request to find a licensed funeral director in their continued efforts to repair the crumbling Fairview Mausoleum.
A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a licensed funeral director will now be developed and presented to the commission during their February meeting. If approved in February, the RFQ will be posted and the city will begin accepting submissions from applicants.
The Shawnee City Commission will then review the submissions and potentially approve a candidate in March.
According to the City of Shawnee, the funeral director would oversee the disinterment and reinternment of remains at the Fairview Mausoleum as they work toward repairing the dilapidated structure.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Shawnee leaders move forward with repairs, upkeep at Fairview Mausoleum
The city also emphasizes that no actions will be taken without the next of kin's consent, and in cases where next of kin can't be located, the city will arrange for an earthen burial in the Fairview Cemetery.
News 4 first covered the Fairview Mausoleum back in 2022 after the crumbling privately-owned mausoleum, which sit inside the city-owned Fairview Cemetery, was closed to the public over safety concerns.
The city voted to accept ownership of the mausoleum in April 2021, but then reversed their decision months later, saying that the Fairview Mausoleum Association didn't hold up their end of the deal.
The City of Shawnee then turned to the courts for a solution, and announced they would be moving forward with a court-approved abatement plan in October 2024.
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